will follow, and that without delay. There will be an increase of personal sanctification and comfort, of domestic happiness, and of mínisterial usefulness. God will be honoured; the work of the Holy Spirit in glorifying Christ, no longer hindered by unbelief, will disclose itself in its majesty; the church will put on her beautiful garments and her strength together; times of refreshing will be the rule, and not the exception; and difficulties, though they rise like mountains, shall become plains. God will give more abundant testimony to the word of his grace, which shall have free course, shall grow and prevail amidst and over every antagonist principle and system; Christian effort shall not fall short of its intention in comparative imbecility, but, by strength made perfect in weakness, shall be omnipotent for good; Zion, vital with indwelling Deity, beautiful as the temple of the Holy Ghost, and reflecting and communicating the light, the glory, and the salvation of the cross, shall be seen triumphantly rising above the hills, till, established in the top of the mountains, all nations shall flow unto it, and "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

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Then, as the Saviour's atonement and the divine agency of the Holy Spirit are perfect, and both ever present with us, glorious evidences of the love of the Triune God, necessary and prevalent to salvation,-as we are not at any time left destitute of these great blessings, nor of grace to use them, we should let our faith be as real as its objects, and as continued as their efficacy: then would our God, who is "always more ready to hear, than we to pray, and wont to give more than either we desire or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of his mercy." He would bless us, and we should be a blessing. Amen. CLER. WESL.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

SCRIPTURAL ESSAYS. (No. XIII.)

THE OBLIGATION OF THE BELIEVER TO WALK PERFECTLY WITH GOD.

IN TWO PARTS.

"The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."-Gen. xvii. 1.

THE design of this essay is to present, in as brief a form as possible, and with objects entirely practical, a comprehensive and complete view of what may be termed the "moral obligations of man," considered as a subject both of the government and of the redemption of God. Nothing is more clearly revealed in Scripture than the perfectly-harmonious combination of these. As a subject of God, man fell; and in this his low estate, He, whose mercy endureth for ever, remembered him, and devised means, which exhibit equally his wisdom, holiness, and love, that his banished should not be expelled from Him. Because with God is mercy, with him is

plenteous redemption; and this redemption, in its full revelation, is styled, "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Now, in becoming our Redeemer, God has not, in the slightest degree, ceased to be our Sovereign; nor, because he is our Sovereign, is he less our Redeemer. The aspect under which we are required to contemplate him, is that which was symbolized by the ancient mercy-seat: we are to worship and serve him on the throne of grace. In redemption, therefore, the divine law is magnified and made honourable. The great evil of sin, which is the transgression of the law, is shown by this, that God will not pardon it without a sufficient atonement: hence the expiatory sacrifice of Christ, and the free justification of the penitent sinner only by faith in his blood. But in another way also is the law honoured. In the provisions of redemption the power and pollutions of sin are contemplated, as well as its guilt. Redemption is holiness, inward and outward, as well as pardon. Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And thus do we see in redemption the full meaning of the symbolic phraseology, that Christ "came by blood and water." He has not only power to forgive sins, but, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he bestows all the blessings of spiritual life and strength. Through him we are to receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified. This is the ground-work and basis of the practical system of moral obligation under which man is now placed, and which is so plainly declared in the inspired scriptures of redemption.

The position of the portion of Scripture placed at the head of the present article, is very remarkable, and the consideration of it will suggest what is as instructive as it is important. That the dispensation of mercy was established from the first fall of man, is evident from the Apostle's language, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” though manifested only in the last times. The established dispensation was likewise announced, and at least its grand principles and objects revealed, by the interposition of men inspired for the occasion, confirmation being vouchsafed by frequent divine interpositions. The manner and extent of communication are not made known to us; but the fact is put beyond doubt. Micah, referring to the character of God as Saviour, speaks of it as declared by the Prophets from the times of old; and Zacharias, when, filled with the Holy Ghost, he celebrated the approaching advent of the Redeemer, says, that God had promised to save man that he might serve him, by the Prophets that had been since the world began. And, therefore, in the antediluvian age, Abel offered by faith a more excellent sacrifice, and Enoch walked with God, and was not, because God took him. But from Abraham the church of the faithful, against which the gates of hell should not prevail, and from that day have not prevailed, took its rise, and with him was the great covenant of redemption established; so that the promises made to him have been ever since the unchangeable foundation of personal religion. So Micah, who speaks of the promises by Prophets from the times of old, refers especially to Abraham our father; and Zacharias, though mentioning the Prophets that have been since the world began, specifies particularly the oath of God to Abraham. Abraham knew that in his seed all families of the earth were to be blessed he desired to see the day of Christ, saw it, and was glad. To him was the covenant-promise given of that deliverance which should prepare man for serving God, without fear, in righteousness and holiness before him, all the days of his life. Let there be a proper

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collocation of texts, and let the conclusions thus established be properly examined, and it will be seen, that from the days of Abraham, in that line of his seed which was never long without inspired teachers till the anointed Redeemer himself appeared, there must have been at least a general knowledge of the true character of what may now be termed, "evangelical godliness," both as to its principles here, and its glorious recompence hereafter. There was, indeed, an additional promise, of a secular character, relating to his posterity, of which the Mosaic economy was the continuation and enlargement; but the main covenant made with Abraham, and which St. Paul tells us was unaffected by the law, given four hundred and thirty years after, was the Gospel itself, in those great principles which were subsequently expanded under a series of inspired Prophets, and, finally, fully unfolded by our Lord and his inspired Apostles.

With Abraham, then, begin the records of the church growing out of the revelation of the covenant of redemption. And, placed at the very head of these revelations is this command, declaring in brief, but significant and comprehensive, phrase, the obligations and duties of personal religion. At the very beginning, thus does the sovereign Redeemer announce his will to all who even profess to desire to be his servants," I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." Such was religion then, such has it been ever since, such is it now. And thus perceiving its nature, we may trace its unvarying oneness throughout all ages. Because God is almighty and all-sufficient, promising in his covenant of mercy to be our shield and our exceeding great reward, he requires us to walk before him, and be perfect.

We only add, that we thus obtain correct notions of the law of God, and of the feelings with which it is to be regarded. Among other purposes to be accomplished by the promulgation of the law from Sinai, one was to show that to sinners the law worketh wrath. Its announcement, as from legislative God, in the midst of circumstances of terror, made even Moses exceedingly fear and quake. And, viewing the law in itself, as awaking the conscience, but opening no views of mercy, unguarded expressions have been sometimes employed in contrasting it with the promises of pardon, of which Antinomian error has laid hold to justify its own rebellious presumption. But look at this announcement of the practical will of God, connected with the covenant of redemption and promise, and it is seen in its true light, holy, and just, and good; so that one of those characteristics of piety which are marked in the inspired, and therefore standard, records of truth for the instruction and governance of all ages, is, in the inspired expression of it, "O, how I love thy law!" "His delight is in the law of the Lord."

I. Religion, in its unchangeable nature, is "walking before God."

1. But the reflection immediately occurs, that man exists in a fallen condition; that he is guilty before God, the righteous Governor, whose will is perfect holiness and rectitude; and that his whole nature is alienated from God. In this state, walking before God is impossible. Before he can walk in the narrow way, he must enter in at the strait gate. The two great blessings of the covenant of redemption announced to Abraham, and from Abraham perpetuated, must be sought and obtained,-forgiveness of sins, and the renewal of our nature in righteousness and holiness. Our prayer must be," Hide thy face from my sins," and, "Create in me a clean heart." But thus we shall not pray, till we feel the need of the blessings which this prayer seeks. We must admit, therefore, that conviction of sin which it is

the work of the Holy Spirit, by the instrumentality of the truth, to produce. Thus convinced, we become humble penitents before him, and approach to him, where alone we can find him, as seated on the throne of grace, accessible to penitent sinners through the atonement and intercession of the great and appointed Mediator. To the promise of mercy in Christ must our attention be directed, and mercy itself sought as thus promised. And, seeking, we shall find. Our heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him. By him shall we be enabled with the heart to believe unto righteousness, and to experience, through the faith which is his gift, made our own act by its reception and exercise, the present salvation which in Christ is provided. Forgiveness of sins will be ours, and inheritance among them that are sanctified. And thus does genuine personal religion commence; from this point does it proceed, in the direction marked out by God himself, towards its intended consummation in the eternal blessedness of the entire man. “But now, being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." He who does truly walk before God, has heen justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, and saved by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

2. By such a person, the duties are performed which are specifically religious, and to which sometimes, though inaccurately, the name of religion is exclusively applied. The reason of this serious misapprehension may be easily assigned. Man's conscience acknowledges that he ought to serve God; but his fallen nature disposes him to seek for such a service as may allow the indulgence of its own inclinations. And this is found in those outward acts, chiefly belonging to a ceremonial of worship, which have professedly God for their object. But these are so performed as to have no association with the established habits of life. From the paths of dominant self-will, such men turn aside, it may be occasionally, it may be regularly, to the temple of God; and when its service is concluded, they turn back to the paths of sin as before. God himself says concerning them, "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." But "the Lord searcheth the heart,” and rejects the sacrifice in which he finds it not.

It does not, however, follow, that because the heartless service finds no acceptance, but rather adds to the fearful burden of guilt, the service itself is not required. The evil consists in the alienation of the heart; but where this is yielded to God, one of the results will be, that the outward services of religion, prescribed by God himself as those expressions of inward intercourse, by which we glorify him in our bodies as well as spirits, and visibly and intentionally honour him before our fellow-men, will be performed, both conscientiously and gladly. In every age, and under every form of administration, the servant of God has said, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth." "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! ” As loving God, he delights in such opportunities of special and immediate communion with him; and as loving his neighbour, he likewise delights to be able to call on him, by his practice and example, to remember a duty too frequently forgotten, to seek for a privilege too seldom desired. The mere forms of worship do not constitute religion; but with the existence of religion their absence, unless occasioned by circumstances which cannot be

controlled, is utterly inconsistent. The observance of the visible and public duties of worship, though not the whole of religion, is one of its most important branches, always found where religion itself is found. Brief as is the record of the long life of the venerable Patriarch, it yet shows us that wherever he "pitched his tent," "there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord." Abraham's religion was spiritual, but not so spiritual as to be invisible. Daniel might have escaped the den of lions had he been willing to keep his religion to himself, hidden in the darkness of individual privacy. But who could know either Abraham or Daniel without being reminded of the existence and claims of God, and feeling, even though he banished the feeling as soon as it arose, that he, too, was called to walk before Him?

3. But the essentially active nature of man is to be remembered. The scriptural terms, "path" and "walking," always refer to this. The latter denotes the actions in which he is constantly engaged; the former marks them as constituting a series to which, in its continuity, a particular character, chiefly a moral character, may be applied. His thoughts and feelings, as well as his humanly-visible deeds, are all actions which, whether with a general will, as habits, or with particular volition, proceeding from thoughtful deliberation, he determines to perform. Life is a journey on which he is continually proceeding. The figurative-yet scarcely figurative-as well as the literal journey, may be said to be suspended by sleep; but when he is awake, he is walking, always walking.

And then, there are natural actions to which he is prompted by the instinctive laws inherent in his constitution. In the case of the greater number of mankind, the most considerable portion of their life, by the very arrangements of Providence, must thus be occupied. The wants of physical nature must be supplied, that he may continue to live; and to provide for this, thought and labour, almost without remission, are required.

And this must be connected with another law of his being. He is essentially a social creature, called to live among his fellow-men, and connected with them by innumerable ties. He associates with them in virtue of the family instinct. He associates with them when providing for the supply of his own wants, and of the wants of those who are immediately connected with him, or dependent upon him. He passes his life in society; and, of necessity, those with whom he dwells, whether in relationship, or close neighbourhood, or less or more remote connexion, must be, very frequently, and as compared with the entire movements of life, the objects to whom his actions will refer. This is not matter of choice. Dissociation would require mighty resolution and effort; but the evident arrangements of Providence require him, as a rule to which exceptions are of the rarest occurrence, and which is recognised and enforced by the positive declarations of supreme authority, to live in society. The documents and records of the covenant of mercy leave this general principle of nature untouched. No long and profound investigation of them is necessary to show us that they continually assume its existence and operation. We must live in society. We must walk with men, and before men; and yet it is said to "Walk before me."

us,

Two views have been taken of this subject, equally erroneous, but totally opposed to each other. Occasionally, and by a few, there has been a violent disruption of the social tie, and men have fled to the wilderness or to the cell, that they might, in the way which they supposed to be necessary, serve God. But the mistake scarcely requires exposure. Even they who